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'Habitual drunk driver' jailed Eight-month sentence for sixth impaired driving conviction
Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 27, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A 32-year-old Yellowknife man is going to jail after his sixth impaired driving conviction.
Andrew Anderson pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath sample and driving while disqualified when he was stopped by RCMP on July 9. The officer who stopped him recognized Anderson from previous encounters and knew he was banned from driving.
Police arrested Anderson after he turned into a gas station on Range Lake Road. He hadn't been driving erratically nor did he cause any damage, but the officer smelled liquor and noticed Anderson was slurring his words.
Anderson was sentenced to eight months in jail on Sept. 19, after pleading guilty to the crime. He's also prohibited from driving for seven years, a condition that will be added to a previous seven year driving prohibition. Anderson is now banned from driving until at least 2025.
The courts have found Anderson guilty of impaired driving or failing to provide a breath sample six times since 2000. He's also been convicted of driving while disqualified three times in the past three years.
Crown prosecutor Alison Duckett said Anderson is a "habitual drunk driver" and has no respect for driving prohibitions. She recommended Anderson be imprisoned for nine to 12 months with a 10-year driving prohibition.
Before the sentence was handed down, Chief Judge Robert Gorin asked Anderson if he'd like to say anything.
"I'd like to apologize to the courts for using up valuable time again," Anderson said. "I'll ask for a chance that I can beat this addiction."
Anderson's lawyer explained his client suffered from a harsh childhood, with an alcoholic mother. He often had to provide for himself. Anderson has been in jail since his arrest on July 9 and has been attending AA meetings and working in the kitchen of the North Slave Correctional Centre.
Gorin sympathized with Anderson's past, but said he'd have to spend more time behind bars because of his repeated impaired offences.
"I have to impose significant jail time to get the message across," he said.
Anderson spent four months in jail for his last drunk driving offence on March 26, 2011. According to the criminal code, those convicted of a three or more impaired driving offences will face at least four months in jail.
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